Nightmares
by Aerilon452
Summary: Kathryn and Chakotay are finally forced over the edge of their relationship. COMPLETE. ONE SHOT. A/U.


Summary: Chakotay and Kathryn are finally forced over the edge.

Disclaimer: I own nothing of Star Trek Voyager.

Rating: T+

Pairing Janeway and Chakotay

NIGHTMARES:

Kathryn and Chakotay walked together like they had many times while talking companionably, laughing, and teasing each other. He leaned in asking, "So, Kathryn, what are you going to do tonight?" There was a moment when he had the urge to settle his hand on her lower back like he used to. They had finally fallen back into a normal rhythm of joking and teasing and laughing and, what he missed the most, flirting. When he was talking to her, he had a moment to forget that he had given up on them.

Kathryn stopped, angled her head, and with a smirk replied, "I am going to curl up with a good book." Then, when no one was looking, she set her hand over is heart and added, "Then I plan to fall into bed and dream sweet dreams of…" Kathryn let her drop with a wicked smile to fill in the blanks. Chakotay smirked at her in return letting her see all manner of suggestive thoughts play in his eyes. She shook her head and laughed. "Good night Chakotay." She hated to leave him, but he was with Seven, and she had to respect that. It was his choice. Kathryn turned from him and headed the rest of the way down the corridor to the Captain's Cabin. 'How cruel is it that his quarters are so near?' She thought keying in the door code and slipping inside.

Chakotay watched Kathryn go, leave his side, and disappear around the bend in the corridor. They lived next to each other for seven years. They were closer than two people could ever be without being lovers. In his heart he knew they were meant to be, but being in the Delta Quadrant made that hard. Together they had a crew to think about. What they wanted had to be set aside. Sighing, Chakotay disappeared into his quarters where he stripped out of his uniform, pulled on shorts, and rather than climb into bed as he planned, retrieved his _akuna_ to contact the spirits.

Kathryn was curled up in bed, a book in her lap, but her mind wasn't processing the words. That meant it was time for her to go to settle down and try to sleep. Though, she wasn't sure how well she would be able to sleep. Today was an easy day and that had put the Captain of Voyager at ease, as well as her Commander. They had flirted like they had in the early days. Kathryn couldn't help herself. Putting her book aside, Kathryn stretched out in her bed and snuggled into her pillows and under her blankets. Kathryn sighed and before she knew it she was falling deeply into sleep.

Chakotay pulled himself out of meditation when his spirit guide grew frustrated with him. As of late that had happened more and more. He was being accused, subtly, of being stubborn, and he couldn't argue. Putting his medicine bundle back in its customary place, Chakotay walked to his bed and crawled under the covers. He took a deep calming breath and let sleep claim him. As unconsciousness took him he had no idea that the spirits of his people had other plans for him, for the woman his heart called out for night after night. Chakotay conjured and image of Kathryn as she had been when they had been on New Earth, when they had been happy.

Kathryn felt strange. She was lying on the ground, stones biting in her back. When she opened her eyes, Kathryn saw high stone walls. A maze. She sat up but her right hand arm was stretched back. Looking back, she saw Chakotay lying beside her. "Chakotay?" She shook his arm calling his name. "Chakotay… Come on. Wake up." A loud clap of thunder snapped over them. Wind kicked up and howled. "Ok, so I went to sleep on Voyager and I woke up here next to my first officer." Kathryn said stating the obvious as a way to try and make sense of what was happening.

Chakotay groaned opening his eyes to a dark sky, to the howling winds, and loud clangs of thunder. Someone was nudging his arm. Looking to his left he saw Kathryn. She was looking around, her hair pulled back in a low ponytail at the nape of her neck, a black skin hugging shirt conformed to her torso feeding into black pants separated by a thick belt. "Kathryn?" He sat up lifting his left hand seeing thick metal manacles binding them together. "Just another day in the delta quadrant." He muttered.

Kathryn looked at Chakotay, intent on scolding him, but she just shook her head. "We can never have a normal day, can we?" She moved to a kneeling position as she couldn't stand up because Chakotay was still lying on the ground looking at her in a strange manner. Then, she looked down at her clothes. Her uniform was gone as was his. Kathryn took in her First Officers appearance seeing thick black boots, black pants molded perfectly to his legs. She reached out and rubbed the fabric between her fingers. It was unlike any material she had ever felt before. "This feels like a thick neoprene suit, the kind that you use for diving." She placed her free left hand over his stomach feeling the same substance.

Chakotay tried not to react to Kathryn touching him. He shouldn't react, she touched him all the time. But he had to stop her. He got to his knees, and then, taking her hand, Chakotay got to his feet pulling Kathryn with him. "What are we going to do? Do we stay here and wait for Voyager?" He was getting a bad feeling about them staying where they were. Blue sparks started darting about the air. Chakotay tugged the chains linking him and Kathryn together to gain her attention.

Kathryn looked at the blue sparks as they moved through the air. "It looks like they are trying to form words." She muttered continuing to watch the blue buzzing sparks until they formed the words. _RUN_ _OR DIE_. She looked to Chakotay, he took her hand and they followed the advice written out before them. They ran. They took turn after turn moving away from a horrible rumbling sound. More corners, more twisting turns had them coming into a circular stone clearing.

Chakotay skidded to a halt gasping for air with Kathryn at his side. His heart thundered in his chest as his lungs screamed for air. Beside him Kathryn gasped and wheezed just as he was. "This is strange." Chakotay stood straight up and continued, "The last thing I remember I was crawling into bed getting ready to sleep." Before that his sister spirit guide was becoming frustrated with him.

Kathryn was feeling pain in her sides from the running. She definitely was not as young as she used to be, or maybe she needed to make use of the endurance programs on the holodeck. "That's the last thing I remember too." Kathryn drew in a deep breath. "I was reading my book but I wasn't really reading it, and then I turned in for bed." She let go of Chakotay's hand and then she bent over, put her hands on her thighs.

"You ok?" Chakotay stood in front of her concern radiating out of him and into her. She nodded, leaving him to look at the next available exits. To the left stairs led up. To their right there was a slope leading down. In front and behind them were passages leading gods knew where. "What is going on?" He muttered.

Kathryn looked at the passageways just as Chakotay had, but being the Captain that she was, she set off for the passage with the stairs only to come a stop as she ran out of chain. Chakotay stood where he was in the center of the stone circle. "What are you doing?" She tugged on the manacles but still he wouldn't budge. "Chakotay?" If she could she would put her hands on her hips.

"What are you doing?" Chakotay asked mimicking her without tugging on the manacles. If he tugged, then Kathryn would stumble. He was stronger than her after all. Kathryn fixed him with a penetrating stare that he knew all too well. She was not happy with him second guessing her right now. But then again, that was why he was her first officer. "We should go that way." Chakotay pointed to the passage with her slope leading down. He had this sense that it was the best way to go. She was shaking her head. "What? Do you not trust my judgment anymore?" His voice was tinged with anger now. Where had that come from?

Kathryn was shocked and confused. "Of course I trust you and your judgment." She stated forcefully closing the distance between them. "You are the one man I trust with my life," _And my heart._ But she hadn't said that out loud. Kathryn thought they had moved beyond the burning desire that had first attracted them to the other, only, now she wasn't so sure. Seeing him dressed the way he was made her remember the fierce, proud, Maquis Captain that had stood before her on her bridge all those years ago. Kathryn felt her heart kick in her chest, sending a shockwave of love through her system. The chains around her heart seemed to vanish.

Chakotay let his anger fall from his heart. She was looking at him like she had used to. The love he had seen shining for him was back. Why here? Why now? "I know…" He sighed. "I just feel we should go that way." Chakotay pointed towards the sloping passage. "I can't explain why, but will you just trust me." He took a step in the opposite direction almost expecting some resistance from her. When none came, Chakotay kept moving careful to keep his eyes off of Kathryn until he could make sense of what was happening. All of his old feelings, his deep unwavering love for her was blazing through his system making his heartbeat faster than the run had.

It was a strange sensation for Kathryn, she was following instead of leading this time. After she had passionately stated that she trusted Chakotay, she couldn't very well disprove that statement by insisting they go in direction she wanted. Of course if he had argued he could say that it was because she was a Captain, she was used to leading. Now, it was her to follow, and she didn't like it very much. For now she would remain silent and let him lead the way. Maybe it would be nice not having to make all the choices that would mean life or death for the people she cared about. Especially Chakotay. Every day she worried about what would happen, if she sent him on an away mission, would she ever see him again. Kathryn loved Chakotay enough to let him take charge.

Chakotay rounded the bend in the passage way to come up short as more blue sparks flitted through the air in front of them. He said nothing as he took Kathryn's hand in his. Chakotay didn't want to admit it, but her hand felt so right in his, their fingers lacing together. She was his perfect half and she always would be. Now, they had to wait for the next message, if there was going to be one. Kathryn's hand was tensing in his, bringing his gaze to hers. "What is it?"

"Nothing," Kathryn shook her head. There was this pit of terror forming in the pit of her stomach. Something terrible was on the horizon for them, she knew it, but she would not give voice to her fears. Chakotay couldn't know her fears until she better understood what she was feeling. "I just want to know what is happening, that's all." Kathryn lied through her teeth. If he knew, Chakotay said nothing. He just tightened his hold on her hand and they waited. The sparks zigged and zagged through the air, but they had yet to form a message for them. For a few seconds nothing happened and the weight of stillness pressed down upon them. Instead of a message, the ground started to shake.

Chakotay didn't need to say anything. He held tight to Kathryn's hand and they were off running. Then, he wasn't sure what made him react, but he pressed Kathryn up against the stone wall with his body covering hers as a large stone beam fell almost exactly where she had been a moment ago. In relief he pressed his forehead to hers. "That was close…" Chakotay gasped noticing that Kathryn hands were against his chest. He could feel the heat of her body bleeding through the black suit he was wearing branding him once more as belonging solely to her. "That was too close."

Kathryn was held against a wall and Chakotay's hard body that she had spent many nights dreaming about. She could hardly form words or hold a thought with him in her personal space, with his lips so close to hers. A low moan escaped her as more of her body registered him against her. His thigh was between her legs with his pelvis pressing into her lower body to keep her pinned to the wall to keep her out of harm's way. It was always so distracting having this close to her. Then a memory surfaced, one she would have rather remembered when she was alone. They were together under the table in their shelter, there was a plasma storm raging outside, but Chakotay was holding her close to his body, running his hand up and down her arm in a comforting manner. Kathryn started to chuckle. "Oh, Chakotay…."

Chakotay felt her light laugh against his chest as he was still in close against her. He knew he should have moved, should have put a proper distance between them, but she felt too damned good. The heat of her was intoxicating, enslaving him once more to Kathryn. He knew he should fight, should resist the bonds strengthening between them, but he couldn't. This was what his heart wanted more than anything, more than any other woman in the universe. When they found their way out of this place he would end things with Seven and wait for Kathryn. There was no being free of the woman his heart had deemed be for him and him alone. "It's always going to be us." Chakotay said, more of a promise than a statement.

"Us," Kathryn repeated, "But there is hardly an 'Us' now." Cold water crashed through her system chasing away her belief in his promise. He was with Seven. He had chosen her young protégé. The look of regret and pain crossed his beautiful face mirroring the pain she felt every day when she forced her feelings for him deep down in the darkest part of her soul so she wouldn't have to fear sending him on an away mission, or fear for his life when they were attacked. He opened his mouth to argue, but she stopped him by pushing on his chest and saying, "We should keep moving." Kathryn wasn't in the best emotional state to have a conversation about where they were heading before their argument about brokering a deal with the Borg years ago. After that, things between them had changed.

Chakotay sensed her reticence and understood it. Far too much had happened to them, transpired between them, for his promise to be accepted easily. There was much work he had to do to heal the gap between them, to assure Kathryn that he was going to wait for her. "Ok… We'll keep going." He agreed stepping back from her to once again take her hand. This time she didn't hold too tightly to him. Again, he understood it. "Let's just hope this place doesn't keep trying to kill us before Voyager comes."

"Yeah," Kathryn said. "I wonder where 'here' is." She looked up at the stars. Though, that wouldn't really help. There were no recognizable star patterns, nothing to tell them where they were. Then she stopped, "Chakotay, look up at the stars." She said. When he turn to look at her she just pointed straight up. "What seems out of place to you?" Kathryn had to focus on something that wasn't 'THEM' related. She didn't have the resolve to keep denying this topic for much longer. "There aren't enough stars in the sky."

Chakotay switched gears and looked at the night sky like the Starfleet officer he was. Kathryn was right, "What do you think it means?" He asked just to ask. Chakotay looked at her, her forehead was scrunched up as she tried to work out what it meant. He loved to watch her while she was thinking. Kathryn made the cutest faces. It brought a smile to his face. Then something caught his attention. He jostled her hand bringing her out of her thoughts pointing to what looked like a recording. It was of them. "This has just gotten weirder." The image in the night sky was when they were on New Earth. It was the night he had come to Kathryn 'rescue' when she met her little monkey friend. She was in nothing but a towel and he couldn't help but stare at her shoulder gleaming in the moonlight.

Kathryn watched in disbelief and in anger. There was no way anyone could have a recording of them at that moment. Kathryn saw the look on Chakotay's face, watched herself look at him and share the look. That was the first time she knew that he desired her, and she him. After that things between them had been nearly awkward until he had told her that story. He was her Angry Warrior. "What is this place?" She whispered looking around. The blue sparks were back, following them. Her hand touched Chakotay's arm, "We should run now." She said taking his hand. He didn't answer her, they just took off down the passage that led them to another circular stone room with only one passage this time.

Chakotay turned to see if the alien sparks were following them and the passage behind them was clear. He breathed sigh of relief, but made sure to stay on guard for one of a hundred other things that could potentially happen to them. "This is more fun than I ever want to have again." Chakotay shook his head, "Though this is sort of nice being on an away mission together." Kathryn turned to him, opened her mouth and then shut it. She just smiled at him. You have to admit this is nice, despite the running, and being chained together." He lifted his arm moving the chain that connected them.

Kathryn laughed, "Oh, I don't know, I rather liked being chained to you." She said, but her words carried more than one meaning. Since this journey started they had been woven tightly together the more they talked, smiled, and laughed with one another. Kathryn hadn't realized she had been falling in love with him until it was too late to stop. But because she had refused to feel those feelings she had lost him to Seven of Nine, the liberated Borg Drone seeking humanity. She couldn't blame Seven for wanting Chakotay, but she could resent the young woman for taking him from her.

"Really?" Chakotay teased, but turned serious. "It usually takes a disaster to get us in the same room for any length of times these days." Her eyes darkened with sadness at his accusation. "How have I lost you?" Chakotay asked desperately wanting his Kathryn back. He wanted back the woman who smiled at him easily, who laughed with him, touched him gently. Before they parted last night he had caught a glimpse of her, just a small trace to know that she was still there. "Is this because of Seven?" There, he asked what he had been wanting to ask her for weeks when their relationship took another change back to strained.

Kathryn had a moment where she could deny it, lie, and turn the conversation to some other topic, but she couldn't do that. Not here. Not when she had no way of escaping to regroup in silence. So, she went with the truth, "Yes…" For the first time in years she let him see the true extent of her pain. "I can understand anyone else… but her… Why her?" Kathryn couldn't comprehend it and she didn't really want to. Tears she had refused to shed for a long time fell freely down her face. "Why her?!"

Chakotay opened his mouth to answer, only, no words came out. He had no idea why he accepted Seven's offer, but he had and he hurt Kathryn in the process. "I don't know." He answered truthfully causing Kathryn even more pain. "Does it matter now? I can never be free of you." Chakotay snapped. "You are in my heart, my blood, my soul." He growled suddenly angry at her now. "I have loved you every day for years while you…" Chakotay let his accusation drop.

"I was trying to protect you… from me." Kathryn admitted looking away from him. "I thought that if I allowed myself to love you I would treat you different no matter how I tried not to." A weight lifted from her heart with the words finally spoken. "I didn't want to change our relationship and then lose you to an away mission just to prove to myself that I could be two different people." Kathryn shook, more tears flowing. Chakotay's arms were around her then, holding her, soothing her. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Kathryn," Chakotay sighed knowing that what she said was the truth. He knew from experience with Seska. A sour taste formed in his mouth at the thought of his former lover who turned out to be a Cardassian spy. "You could have told me that." He chided gently getting her to look at him. "I would have understood." Chakotay said that now, but if she had told him, would he really have understood her motivations or would he have accused her of hiding from him? "Come on," He said, "We can talk about all of this on Voyager." Gently, like he had wanted to many times, he kissed the top of Kathryn's head.

Kathryn nodded trying not to melt from the feeling of Chakotay kissing the top of her head and then said, "Voyager would be the better place to have this conversation." She agreed, but almost feared returning to the ship. It was easy to hide behind protocol and duty and her rank when they were there. "Chakotay," Kathryn tugged on his hand, "Don't let me hide anymore from you." He smiled at her, tightened his hand in hers, and then pulled her to the only passage way that was there. Suddenly the bad feeling she had had early returned and gnawed at her just as the alien blue sparks blocked their way. Kathryn knew something drastic was going to have to happen for them to be free. Blue words burned in the air in front of them blocking their progress.

_One must die for the other to live._

Chakotay felt the bottom drop out of his heart as he read the words. He couldn't think. He couldn't process what was happening. Instead he turned to Kathryn to gage her reaction, but was met with a cool, almost calm resolve. "Kathryn, what is it?"

"I know what I have to do." Kathryn said calmly. She had never been calmer in all of her life. "You have to live," Chakotay was shaking his head. "I knew the day I met you I would give my life for you, and now I can."

"No," Chakotay felt tears in his eyes remembering one other time that he had held a dying Kathryn in his arms. "We can figure a way out. We always do. Please…. Kathryn…" He couldn't face the world without her. "Don't do this…"

"It's ok," Kathryn said pulling free the knife from the back of the belt when it suddenly appeared in a sheath. "I love you." She said finally able to freely admit it. "I have always loved you." Kathryn took the dagger placing it just under her left breast between the third and fourth intercostal space, angling it up so that when she drove the knife home in her chest it would be quick. Taking a deep breath she went to plunge the blade home when he stopped her. "Chakotay…"

"No!" Chakotay shouted. "I can't let you do this." His left hand held her wrist keeping the blade from ramming home in her chest and his right hand settled in her shoulder, fingers digging into the fabric of her shirt. The tears were freely streaming down his face. "Please, don't leave me alone. Not again," His voice shook as he placed his forehead to hers.

"It'll be ok," Kathryn soothed. "You can do this. You can get the crew home." She had complete faith in him. Not to be cruel, but to finally be free, Kathryn transferred the hilt of the blade to his hand and then placed her hand over his to steady him. "Chakotay, live the life you could have had if it hadn't been for me." He was crying and so was she. "I love you." Kathryn brought her left hand up to cup his cheek. "If you live a piece of me lives in your heart."

"Kathryn…" Chakotay choked out her name. Why wasn't he fighting her? Why was he holding the knife? There was always a way out. There would be a way out of this that didn't require her dying. "Let me do this." He fumbled his words. "The crew needs you more than me."

"You've given up so much for me." Kathryn said, her voice calm, her tears stopping. She felt oddly at peace. "Let me do this for you, to save you." Her words echoed all around them. "The ultimate gift I can give you is freedom." She took a deep breath tightening her hand on his. "You can do this."

"No," Chakotay shook his head repeating that one word over and over, but he had little say in this. Her hand tightened on his forcing him to plunge the knife into her chest. Blood flowed over his hand as her body well to the ground taking him with her. "Kathryn!" Chakotay held her close feeling her blood soak into his clothes and cried for her. "No! You can't leave me!" But it was no use. She was dead allowing him to live, to be free. The next thing Chakotay knew, he was sitting straight up in bed, sweat bathing his face, his chest, and his arms. His heart was pounding so hard. "It was a dream." Even as the realization hit him he looked at his hands almost expecting to see blood. He had to split second need to call Kathryn, but he restrained himself. If she was sleeping he couldn't wake her. The ship knew their Captain barely slept and when she did no one disturbed her.

Kathryn bolted out of her bed gasping air. She felt her torso for the wound but found nothing, but that didn't stop her pulling up the blue t-shirt and seeing her unmarred skin in the light of the stars. She quaked still feeling the pain of the knife plunging into her chest. Sinking down to the floor she fought to get her breathing under control. She had just had the most vivid dream she could ever remember having with Chakotay in it. Kathryn had done the one thing she knew she would do, she gave her life for him to survive. The ultimate form of love. She looked back at her bed and knew there was no way she was going to go back to sleep. Not after that dream. Instead she got dressed and headed out of her quarters to go to her Ready Room.

**MORNING:**

Chakotay had been shell shocked from his dream that he hadn't dared to go back to sleep. To while away the rest of the night he had spent his time in the holordeck using his training program. He had spent hours pounding out his grief on holocharacters. He had changed just in time to report to the bridge where he didn't see Kathryn. Normally she was there. Where was she? He must have had a panic stricken look on his face because he looked over to Tom and asked, "What?" The pilot had said something.

"The Captain is in her Ready Room." Tom repeated upon seeing the terrified look Chakotay had on his face. He wasn't the only one to see it; Tuvok, Seven, and Harry could also see it. "She was in there when we reported for duty. Chakotay said nothing. The Commander the bridge and walked right into the Ready Room.

Kathryn heard the doors of her Ready Room open and looked up in time to see Chakotay coming right over to her. He said nothing as he pulled her to her feet hugging her close. Automatically her arms went around him leaving her to say, "What's the matter?" Chakotay had never acted like this before. Maybe he had had terrible dreams last night too. At that thought her brain replayed her dying and that made her hold him tighter. "What's wrong?" She asked again pulling back from him enough to cup his face.

"I dreamed you died, that I killed you," Chakotay had tears in his eyes again not really registering Kathryn's look of horror and knowing. "I never want to dream that again…. Ever." Kathrny said nothing. She just held him, kissing his forehead. "I killed you." He repeated over and over. That dream had forced him to break down the barriers he had erected in defense of his growing attraction to Kathryn, just as she had done. Safety measures. Some days when he was close to her it was hard to think past her cute lopsided grin.

"It's ok…" Kathryn replied each time he whimpered he killed her. He sounded like a small boy, terrified from the horrors his mind had conjured while in the grips of sleep. Slowly she sat down on the couch before they buckled under the weight of raging emotions. Kathryn had been hiding in her Ready Room since waking from her dream. She didn't know what she would do when she saw Chakotay this morning. Gently she rested his head on her shoulder where he buried his face in the crook of her neck and then she started to rock back and forth.

Chakotay sat up suddenly looking at Kathryn, "Don't ever make me kill you, again…" He growled. "I can't lose you." Kathryn placed her hands to his face once more giving him a sad smile. "Why aren't you saying it was all a dream?" Chakotay rested his hands on her hips waiting for her answer.

"Because I had the exact same dream last night where I told you I loved you." Kathryn admitted freely. Chakotay swooped in fusing his mouth to hers. She gasped giving him the chance for his tongue to slide between her lips to dance with hers. A moan escaped her, loud and echoed on the walls of her Ready Room. This was what she had feared the most, being consumed by him, but now, her fears seemed trivial. Chakotay gave her strength. He poured all of his pent up desire and longing into his kiss.

Chakotay brought Kathryn across his lap changing the angle of the kiss. He shouldn't be doing this, she was his Captain, but she was also his heart. They had been denying each other for far too long. No more, not now that they had opened the lid of their very own Pandora's Box. "Let me love you." Chakotay gasped between heated kisses. Kathryn ravished his mouth as her reply. Her knees tightened on his hips and her fingers tangled in his hair. He could taste all of her pent up desire on her tongue.

Kathryn feasted at Chakotay's mouth all the while feeling him growing harder and harder between her thighs. They were both still clothed, but passions were rising high between them. She hadn't intended to be like this with her Commander, right now, in her Ready Room. Kathryn had intended to ease her way into this, but then again, they had taken the extremely long road in their relationship. Chakotay moved them again, this time she was lying beneath him on her couch in her Ready Room that was just a short distance from the bridge. Chakotay rocked against her making her aware of how much he wanted her. Kathryn dialed her desire back a few notches knowing that the bridge crew were on the other side of her door. He must have sensed her thoughts because he pulled back, his hands on the couch just on either side of her hips. "We can't do this here." Kathryn said with a wry smile gracing her lips. "The first time I want to make love to you, I want it to be in my bed."

"I want that too," Chakotay agreed kissing her gently and then sitting back. He reluctantly moved from between her thigh so they could once again sit on the couch like they had been close to taking each other's clothes off. To keep the connection to her, Chakotay rubbed his hands up and down her arms keeping his smile firmly in place. He looked over at the door to her Ready Room and saw the doors open. His smile lost some of its shine when Kathryn followed his gaze. Now, all of his hopes were going to be crushed. Kathryn would run.

Kathryn felt her mouth drop open as she turned back to Chakotay trying not to laugh at the fact that the entire senior staff could have seen what they had just done. There would be any one of a thousand responses they would get when they stepped out onto the bridge. More than that Seven could have seen them, heard what they had said to each other. A blush crept up her cheeks, "Oh no," There was a hint of laughter in her voice. "I bet the bridge crew weren't betting they would see us like that." For a moment his face fell, doubt clouded his eyes, but it was gone to be replaced with more joy that his eyes could contain.

"Guess we face the music now, huh?" Chakotay joked, "Or we could use a time honored Maquis maneuver." He suggested moving a little closer to her.

"Oh," Kathryn moved closer to conspire with him, "What maneuver?" She switched from feeding her passion to teasing him in return.

Chakotay slipped his hand over her knee. "Well, we could evade the round of jeers and taunts and cat calls by escaping out the back door and getting a jump start on putting your bed to actual use." He put his lips dangerously close to hers.

"Well, I have been meaning to ask you to show me some Maquis maneuvers." Kathryn glanced over her shoulder towards the open door. Her crew were very capable, they knew how to respond in any crisis. Kathryn was going to be selfish for just this once in her life. "So, by all means Commander…" She took his hands letting her pull her from the couch. Chakotay yanked her against him and kissed her quickly, passionately, and then he walked with her to the second entrance to her Ready Room.

**LATER IN THE AFTERNOON:**

Chakotay guided Kathryn's hips as she rode him to completion in her bed. Kathryn's fingers dug into his shoulders and her moans filled his ears joining with his. "Yes! Kathryn!" He shouted her name over and over. She picked up the pace without his guidance. He could feel his release coming closer with each undulation of her hips. Then a blinding explosion took him. He held tight to Kathryn as they shouted out in ecstasy. Chakotay's heart was pounding, blood was rushing though his veins as he rode out the wave of his orgasm with Kathryn in his arms. "Oh sweet spirits," he gasped resting to his lips to her shoulder.

Kathryn felt her insides melt from her latest explosion of a blinding orgasm she had shared with Chakotay. Her legs were still around his waist, she didn't want him to move. "Oh my god," She moaned, "Five times…" Kathryn was almost sated, too many lonely nights without completion. She pulled back to look at him cupping his sweat bathed face, "You are definitely not an old man…" Kathryn laughed. Many times she had overheard Tom Paris joke with Chakotay, calling him and old man. She kissed him feeling her passions rise one more. He was stirring inside of her.

"This…" Chakotay kissed her taking her to the bed beneath him. Her hands left his shoulders to grip the edge of the bed as he moved slowly in and out of her again to make himself ready for her one more time. "We have so much time to make up for." This was their response to each other since leaving her Ready Room. "Let me show you what I am most talented at." Chakotay had always been a very inventive lover and now he had a chance to show Kathryn just how he wanted to love her body.


End file.
